West Ham United forward Jesse Lingard may only be allowed to stay with the Hammers on a permanent basis if Manchester United opt to give Juan Mata a new contract, according to reports in the UK.

The Spaniard’s current deal at Old Trafford expires at the end of June but the Red Devils have yet to decide whether to keep the attacking midfielder.

If Mata is allowed to leave, though, it would damage West Ham’s chances of keeping Lingard, with manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keen to retain some depth in his squad.

Lingard has been excellent since arriving from United on loan during the January transfer window, but the Irons were not allowed to include an option to buy.

It means the 28-year-old’s future is very much in United’s hands. Fans should probably look out for developments regarding Mata’s contract talks in order to garner clues about where Lingard could be playing next season.